A B757-200 FO DISCUSSES PAX UNWILLINGNESS TO REMAIN SEATED WHEN A PA WAS MADE ANNOUNCING IMPENDING TURB AND THE SEAT BELT SIGN IS ON.

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WE WERE CRUISING AT FL370 ABOUT 15 MI N OF THE LNK VOR. THERE WAS CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY WITH OCCASIONAL LIGHT CHOP. THE FASTEN SEAT BELT SIGN HAD BEEN ON FOR APPROX 6 MINS. WHILE IN VMC; ENCOUNTERED CONTINUOUS MODERATE CHOP WITH OCCASIONAL MODERATE TURB. DESPITE THE SEAT BELT SIGN BEING ON AND A PA ANNOUNCEMENT FROM THE FLT ATTENDANTS ABOUT STAYING IN YOUR SEAT WITH BELTS FASTENED; SOME PAX DECIDED THEY STILL NEEDED TO BE OUT OF THEIR SEATS FOR SOME REASON. WHEN WE SUDDENLY HIT THE MODERATE CHOP WITH OCCASIONAL MODERATE TURB; I MADE A PA FOR THE FLT ATTENDANTS TO IMMEDIATELY TAKE A SEAT. (THEY WERE ALREADY SEATED.) THE PAX THAT WERE OUT OF THEIR SEATS; SUDDENLY REALIZED THAT MAYBE IT WAS A GOOD IDEA FOR THEM TO BE SEATED; AND IMMEDIATELY SEATED THEMSELVES IN THE AISLE. THE ENCOUNTER LASTED ABOUT 4 MINS. ATC WAS INFORMED ABOUT THE TURB; WE REQUESTED A CLB TO FL390; AND SENT A PIREP TO DISPATCH. AT FL390; THE RIDE IMPROVED TO OCCASIONAL LIGHT CHOP. THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO ANY OF THE PAX. THIS IS BEING SENT TO HIGHLIGHT A SITUATION THAT COULD HAVE HAD BAD RESULTS EVEN THOUGH WE AS A CREW DID EVERYTHING RIGHT. I'VE NOTICED AN INCREASING TREND THAT PAX ARE IGNORING THE FASTEN SEAT BELT SIGN; FLT ATTENDANT ANNOUNCEMENTS; AND THE SAFETY DEMO AT THE BEGINNING OF THE FLT; WITH REGARDS TO SEAT BELT USAGE. THEY SIMPLY DO WHAT THEY WANT; WHEN THEY WANT. MAYBE WE AS A COMPANY NEED TO DO A BETTER; MORE AGGRESSIVE JOB OF ADVOCATING SAFETY BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT; EVEN THOUGH WE AS A FLT CREW DO EVERYTHING RIGHT.